[CHoppy]

What is the value of their homes if they are paying $20K? What are state and local sale taxes. Every state gets their needed money from you one way or another.

[Marmaduke]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

Bingo.

Growing up, even living there as an adult, Minnesota was wonderful. Our nearest "neighbor" lived two miles away. I was always an outdoor type and living in proximity to the Superior National Forest in northern MN was something no red-blooded Minnesota lad could NOT appreciate. Hunting, fishing, trapping, skiing--we had it all in abundance. To the north of us stretched 50 miles of land unbroken except for one road and a couple of small rivers. School was a one-room schoolhouse which served the children through grade six, followed by grades 7-12 in a smallish school in a small town 20 miles away. To give it some perspective, our school district was larger than the entire state of New Hampshire.

Of course time has a way of glossing over some of the drudgery. We heated with wood, so it was the task of my three brothers and myself to make sure the woodpile and wood box in the basement were full--and when winter mornings could plunge as low as 40 below zero (often colder) we burned a LOT of wood. We burned birch wood almost exclusively; wood that once harvested was cut into 18" blocks, split, piled and dried for at least one year. Summers were not all play: we grew most of our own food which meant that a relatively brief Minnesota summer was filled with gardening chores, and filling the potato bin in the basement with enough potatoes to feed a family of seven for an entire year meant a growing season that was labor-intensive to say the least. Fall, we harvested wild blueberries, raspberries and cranberries which Mom turned into wonderful jams and sauces. November meant deer-hunting season and sausage-making: we always had plenty of venison on hand, and after buying a pig from a neighbor we'd combine the meat from both and turn it into about 200 lbs. of sausage, which we'd smoke along with a couple of hams and some bacon. Nothing went to waste: mom would boil the pig's head (often along with a steer's head) and turn it into loaves of wonderful headcheese. Of course, there were the mosquitoes, cars that didn't start in the winter, shoveling a 200 yard driveway by hand, things like that. But overall, GREAT memories. Minnesota was great when I was young.

But things change. The Minnesota I remember was undoubtedly nowhere near as wonderful as I remember it. In truth I could have lived the same life in a number of northern states and had the same experiences. But whatever it WAS, there is unfortunately no denying what it has BECOME. There are reasons that people are fleeing that state like deranged lemmings. My wife and I were only two out of many tens of thousands to do so.

Minnesota, you're post was an absolute awesome portrayal of true American grit!

I loved the part about your Mom too!
What a pioneer she was, as she raised you and your siblings. You should really capture your life history for your family and others to read. That was fantastic!

You really zeroed in on the OP's topic by showing your Minnesota roots. Your family's True American Grit, spirit, strength, fortitude, perseverence and self-relience are qualities lost on the train wreck currently taking up space in your former state.

YOU did a beautiful job clarifing that the once pristine and Great State of Minnesota SADLY morphed into a wasteland.

Hey, you deserve every day of sun and fun that Florida offers and thank you for the last line of your post that tied it all together!

[mtlee024]

Originally Posted by LuvNH

So many of us have found our way to Florida in our retirement years. The majority of us came from "up north", up north is where we made our living, went to school, made lifelong friends, met our spouse, married and bought a home. We then sold up everything and moved to TV in Florida to live out our retirement years.

I see no reason to diss your home state just because you moved here. Yes, northern winters can be brutal, but many of us continue to go back to family for holidays and have a great time.

We seem to forget that if we had been born in Florida sixty plus years ago we would never have had the quality careers we had "up north", we would never have made the money we made, never have had the opportunity to go to great schools or have great health care. Because sixty plus years ago Florida was known as the honeymoon state or for the nearly dead.

So before you start dissing your home state why don't you stop and think about how fortunate you were to be raised in a state with opportunities available to you and then been able to sell up and move to Florida.

I have lived in FL for almost 60 years, had a great quality career, great health care and we have great schools. I graduared with a BS from one. I know many people who can say the same thing I said about the South. Never have I heard FL called the honeymoon state, Must be somthing people from the north make up. I always thought of FL as the vacation state.

[firefighter4u]

simple! taxes and weather.

[Dantes]

True 60 years ago. What have they become

[PurePeach]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

I miss Connecticut, Boston, and New York. All three were my stomping grounds to one extent or another. I don't think I'll ever stop missing up north. I'm not a summer person, never was. I'm not a heat+humidity kinda gal, never was. I am not fond of palm trees, I think they're silly looking.

On the other hand, I'm also not a February in Connecticut kinda gal either. Extremes bother me in all things, from weather to politics. But given only two choices: a couple of months with a couple feet of snow and a nor'easter OR 6 months of heat and humidity - I'd rather crank up the heat and shovel my way to the snow plow in the garage.

Delta is ready when you are. . .

[DonnaNi4os]

I’m a Jersey Girl living in a Florida world and loving every minute. I still love my home state for all of the reasons you mentioned and more, including the beautiful beaches, great pizza and bagels, as well as the mountains…but I love where I live now.

[rpalumberi]

Originally Posted by LuvNH

So many of us have found our way to Florida in our retirement years. The majority of us came from "up north", up north is where we made our living, went to school, made lifelong friends, met our spouse, married and bought a home. We then sold up everything and moved to TV in Florida to live out our retirement years.

I see no reason to diss your home state just because you moved here. Yes, northern winters can be brutal, but many of us continue to go back to family for holidays and have a great time.

We seem to forget that if we had been born in Florida sixty plus years ago we would never have had the quality careers we had "up north", we would never have made the money we made, never have had the opportunity to go to great schools or have great health care. Because sixty plus years ago Florida was known as the honeymoon state or for the nearly dead.

So before you start dissing your home state why don't you stop and think about how fortunate you were to be raised in a state with opportunities available to you and then been able to sell up and move to Florida.

We never wanted to leave our NY home. I liked shoveling snow from our driveway. I ran all year round regardless of the weather (unless frostbite could occur). We left because of the political climate. Although Long Island was better, our votes never counted for Governor because they were held hostage by the NYC voting block. We could not justify spending all the extra money in taxes, oil, etc. to live in a state that operated so contrary to our beliefs. We don't diss NY, we just stay away. We hope freedom remains for the most part in our new FL retirement.

[Tobys Dad]

Originally Posted by LuvNH

So many of us have found our way to Florida in our retirement years. The majority of us came from "up north", up north is where we made our living, went to school, made lifelong friends, met our spouse, married and bought a home. We then sold up everything and moved to TV in Florida to live out our retirement years.

I see no reason to diss your home state just because you moved here. Yes, northern winters can be brutal, but many of us continue to go back to family for holidays and have a great time.

We seem to forget that if we had been born in Florida sixty plus years ago we would never have had the quality careers we had "up north", we would never have made the money we made, never have had the opportunity to go to great schools or have great health care. Because sixty plus years ago Florida was known as the honeymoon state or for the nearly dead.

So before you start dissing your home state why don't you stop and think about how fortunate you were to be raised in a state with opportunities available to you and then been able to sell up and move to Florida.

I have lived in 9 different states. First 18 in Massachusetts. I detest the old, cold, dirty north. Politically they are killing the country. Never leaving Florida. CA, MA, PA, NY, IL, VA, TN, MA, RI, thanks to the Navy. Only state I would consider would be Tennessee. To each their own.

[Lindsyburnsy]

With what is happening with one’s “rights” in Florida, people may be leaving Florida for “what it is becoming”.

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

I think the OP has it a bit backwards. Many of us didn't leave our home state for what it WAS, but for what it has BECOME.

[scooterstang]

Wife bought a house in Panama City while I was at my part time job driving for Napa Auto Parts. I had to scramble to sell 10 classic bikes and a 65 Mustang fastback, but thanks to Craigslist and Facebook(they all sold) Our house in MN sold in 45 minutes, so there was no turning back!! I miss my family and friends but do not miss the winter at all. I have my Yamaha Morphous that I cruise the beach road on or I hop in my 70 Chev Shortbox and go for a ride. Wifes excuse was(I bought the house cause I knew you never would move!). The only thing I don't like is my small garage here 23X23(my garage in MN was a four car attached and a 36X48 polebarn with 2 backyard buddy car hoists). Talk about downsizing!!

[BruceB3333]

Love my home state and the other states I have lived in. In fact, a friend of mine from my home state, living here in The Villages, calls our home state...God's country.

[wamley]

Most of us were born and raised in the State we moved from. We had and may still have many family members still living in that State. Family and jobs are strong anchors keeping most people in a geographical location. We select a location for our retirement that better suits our lifestyles in retirement. The job anchor no longer exisits and the family group has been more widespread as our children meet partners from other areas of the country or job opportunities removes them from the home State. Grandchildren although a wonderful addition to our lives, they too soon start to move into their own lives. They want to be with friends, participating with their sports and than there are the boyfriends and college. Familys today are much more mobile, so we can enjoy their visits as we see so often with the mid winter breaks from HS and colleges. It's easier to bash our origins a little bit. Life is good.

[rsmurano]

Pretty easy: tired of the riots, crime, high taxes, covid mentality, just to name a few reasons for leaving my prior state.

[Battlebasset]

Originally Posted by Lindsyburnsy

With what is happening with one’s “rights” in Florida, people may be leaving Florida for “what it is becoming”.

What rights are we losing in Florida?